Events such as concerts, weddings, dances, graduations and parties often require or benefit from temporary flooring. They are often held in places with uneven flooring or flooring that is unsuitable for pedestrian traffic, dancing or other purposes of the event. For instance, many events require a stage, dais, or other type of raised platform where attention may be focused during the event. Such raised platforms are placed on the ground or other floor covering, and are often unstable even when the supporting surface is relatively flat since they are not secured to the ground or floor. Further, these raised platforms are only available in certain predetermined sizes and heights, thereby limiting the amount of elevation that can be achieved with the platform. This likewise limits the creativity and utility of the event space and accommodations. In addition, events may be held on surfaces that are uneven or unstable such as grass, dirt or uneven pavement outdoors that can be hazardous or dirty when walking or dancing, such as from tripping or slipping in mud, loose dirt, uncovered roots, rocks, clots of dirt, etc. Tents may be erected to protect guests from the sun and inclement weather, but they provide only the barest of protections to the ground or floor, and those are at a spaced apart distance. Indoor locations may also have unsuitable flooring, which may be tilted, uneven or unfinished, such as in basements, making navigation problematic unless one is careful.
Modular flooring systems are therefore commonly employed for events to create a temporary, artificial floor that is safer to walk on than the underlying ground or floor. Such modular flooring systems provide stability and can also be used to create a desired aesthetic effect, such as of tiles or borders. They often require the placement and interlocking of individual floor modules to create the overall floor covering, which can then be disassembled and removed when the event is over without damage to the underlying ground or floor. However, these modular flooring systems only cover the floor, and do not address platforms or other raised areas.
Known modular flooring systems also fail to address furniture such as stages, tables, chairs, podiums and other equipment that are supplied separately and placed on the flooring system during the event. Usually the flooring system is smooth to allow for unimpeded locomotion, but this can also mean the furniture may shift on the flooring system during use, which can be dangerous if it occurs during use. Further, any incline in the installed flooring system may lead to sliding of the furniture once placed. This danger is augmented when additional equipment or furniture is layered, such as a podium placed on top of a stage.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvement in the field of modular floor coverings. Specifically, it would be beneficial to have a modular flooring system that is both temporary and customizable to achieve any desired dimension and elevation, while also affording stability.